Before the Court in Holt v. Hobbs
The Justices Weigh in on Prison Beard Prohibitions
At 10:04 a.m. on October 7, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments for case number 13–6827, Gregory Houston Holt v. Ray Hobbs, et al. At 11:03 a.m., arguments concluded and the case was submitted for judgment. Following are excerpts from the arguments of Douglas Laycock, representing Gregory Holt, and David A. Curran, representing Ray Hobbs, et al. Questions are presented from the nine Supreme Court Justices. Argument on Behalf of Gregory Houston Holt MR. LAYCOCK: Forty other prison systems permit beards without a length limit, yet Arkansas prohibits even half an inch. And in their brief, they reject…